Sod-cutting tool.



M. HARRIS.

y SOD CUTTING TOOL. APPLIoA'rIoN -FILED 00T. 12, 1909.

944,859, Patented Deo. 28, 1909.

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MICAJ'AH HARRIS, OF NEWARK, NEW'JERSEY.

SOD-CUTTING TOOL.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MIcAJAi-r HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sed-Cutting Tools; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in sod cutting tools and my object is to provide a device which is adapted to be forced lengthwise to loosen a section of sod.

A further object is to provide a cutting blade for severing` the sod into lengths.

A further object is to provide means for normally holding the cutting blade in an elevated position and a still further Object is to provide a suitable handle for operating the tool.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tool ready for use and, Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views, 1 indicates the body of the tool, which is constructed similar to a shovel, the forward edge 2 of the body and the forward edges 3 of the upwardly extending flange 4 being sharpened or beveled whereby the body may be readily forced through the sod and the sod severed in strips.

When the body has been moved its full l length, through the sod, a knife 5 is forced into engagement with the sod adjacent the edge 2 of the body and the sod thus cut into lengths, the knife 5 being supported by straps 6, one end of the straps being pivotally secured to the flange 4 adjacent the rear end of the body, while the opposite ends thereof are fixed to the knife 5 and downward swinging movement of the knife is limited by means of pins 7, which are attached to the straps 6 and are adapted to enter recesses 8 in the upper edge of the flange 4.

The upper edge of the knife 5 is provided Specification of Letters Patent.

Application le. October 12, 1909.

Patented Dec. 28, 1909.

Serial No. 522,253.

with a horizontally extending foot piece 9,

in a socket 12, which socket is in turn attached to the flange 4, while suitable brace rods 13 are extended between the socket and iiange to hold said handle rigid. The outer end of the handle 11 is provided with a cross head 14, by means of which manual power may be more readily applied to the handle for forcing the body through the sod and in conjunction with the cross head,

a loop 1'5 may be provided, said loop forming a hand grasp as well as providing means whereby the tool may be-suspended from a rack or other convenient place when not in use.

In operation, the knife is elevated and i placed in engagement with the latch 10, after which the beveled edge of the body is entered in engagement with the sod and the body then moved forwardly by directing pressure on the handle 11 and after the body has been moved substantially its full length beneath the sod, the knife 5 is released from the latch 10 and swung forwardly and into engagement with the upper surface of the sod, when by directing pressure on the knife, the same will be forced through the sod, thus severing the same into lengths, the beveled edges of the flange 4 severing the sod into strips. In this manner, the edges of the blocks of sod will be smooth and the size of the blocks uniform so that they can be readily transplanted or laid, and by properly raising or lowering the outer end of the handle 11, the blocks of sod may be readily varied in thickness.

By this construction it will be readily seen that a great amount of sod may be cut and prepared for use with a minimum expenditure of time and that the tool can be readily operated by one person and it will likewise be seen that the tool may be very cheaply constructed and at the saine time rendered strong and durable.

IVhat I Claim is:

1. In a sod Cutting tool, the combination with a body, having a beveled Cutting edge and a flange extending upwardly from Jthe sides and one end of said body, the forward edges of the flange being beveled and an operating handle for said body; of a knife, means to pivotally secure the knife to said flange and additional means to normally hold the knife in position over the handle.

2. In a sod Cutting tool, the combination with a body and a. flange extending upwardly from the sides and one end of said body, the free edges of the body and flange being beveled, a handle attached to said body and a cross head at the free end of said handle; of a knife, straps pivotally Connecting said knife to said flange, means to limit the downward stroke of said knife, a foot piece at the upper edge of said knife and means i on the handle adapted to engage the foot piece and hold the knife normally suspended above the handle.

` In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 25 

